Improvement in bale-band tighteners



JZLJSHEPPARD."

BALE-BAND TIGHTEN'ER.

No'.18'8,195. Patented Mmh 6,1877.

Umnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. SHEPPARD, OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BALE'BAND TIGHTENERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 88, 195, dated March 6, 1877 application filed January 20, 1877.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JOHN L. SHEPPARD, of the city and county of Charleston, and State of South Carolina, have invented a new and Improved Bale-Band Tightener; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The invention is an improvement in the class of bale-band tightcners in which sliding barsare attached vertically to the front of the platen and follower, and provided with gripers for seizing and holding the ends of the band. I

The invention consists in the construction of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the acco'mpanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front view of a fragment of a press and .bale with my invention applied, the respective ends of the band being engaged with the bars by which they are brought together. Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the bars to which the band is temporarily attached pushed toward each other, and the ends of the band locked together. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line a; m, Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 show modifications of the griping or clamping jaws for holding the free end of the band.

The bar A, to which the buckle end a of the band is attached, is secured to the front of the platen B in vertical position, and arranged in suitable guides or ways, so that it may be slid up and down by means of a lever (not shown) or other device suitable for the purpose. The lower end of bar Ais provided with a notch or shoulder, 12, and also with an open slot, 0, which is enlarged in its upper portion, Figs. 1 and 2. When the bar A is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the slot 0 is opposite the end of the groove in the under side of the platen B, in which the band lies. The buckle end of the band passes through the slot 0, and the buckle itself lies in or engages the notch or shoulder 71 in the bar A. The said end of the band is supported in such position by the bar E, which is pivoted to the platen, and held in suitable position by the spring d but when the bar A is moved down-- ward the spring yields, a d the bar E is turned on its pivot, and th; s moved. out of vided with a pair of pivoted dogs, g, to clamp the free end of the band 6 against the end of bar, as shown in Fig. 1, or a single dog may be employed, as shown in Fig. 5; or, as a second modification, a short angular plate, It, may be pivoted to the bar F, and provided with a lateral open slot to receive the band, Fig. 4.

In any case it is requisite that whatever device be employed to secure the free end 6 of the band to the end of bar F, it shall be capable of being quickly and conveniently operated to release the band when the lock has been effected.

The operation is as follows: When the bale has been compressed, and the respective ends of the band engaged or locked, Fig. 2, with the bars A F, (of which there may be any required number,) the bars A F are forced toward each other, thereby taking up the slack, and drawing the band tight around the bale. The free end 0 of the band is passed through the slot of the buckle, and

looped or bent down in the usual way. The bars A F are then released and drawn back to their original position, Fig. 1, and. the bale removed from the press.

What I claim is- 1. The combination of the sliding bars A F, constructed to adapt them to bite or engage the buckle and free end of the band,

' 3. The combination, with the bar A, the

end of which is formed with an open slot, of a movable bar, E, which serves to retain the band in place, and is constructed to be automatically opened and closed as the bar A is edges of the band, and securely retain the reciprocated,substantially as and for the put: same as the bar is forced upward, substanpose set forth. tielly as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with the bar F, slid- JNO. L. SHEPPARD. ing vertically in keepers on the front of the I Witnesses: follower, of the locking device, pivoted to said her, and serving to clasp the edge or CHAS. A. PETTIT, EDWD; W. BYBN. 

